How It Works

SOS America is an advocacy organization in support of an affordable and profitable national program of military service that will, among many benefits, begin to close the literacy gap between civilian and military. If we are to be successful, we require a large national support base in the millions to influence necessary legislators and programs.

Legislation will provide young men (18-26), and women who choose to participate, the opportunity to serve for the duration of one year in the military to augment our all-volunteer force. The year will be of their choosing. The aim is to create small, diverse, and cohesive units that reflect and contribute to the character and needs of the nation. When positions are at capacity, excess service members will support various local, state, and federal organizations.

Who Directs This Program

We aim to create a youth service corps that will be piloted and ultimately sustained under the umbrella of the Department of Defense. The program will provide abundant personnel resources to augment, largely in support roles, the current military all-volunteer force and provide capacity and capability for a myriad of critical civilian efforts. Importantly, this augmentation will be by unit and not by parceling out individuals. Our goal is to provide a structured, disciplined, and cohesive setting that benefits both the individual and the nation.

How Is This Different Than Other U.S. National Service Programs

SOS America advocates for a program that differs from other U.S. National Service Programs, such as AmeriCorps, in three key ways. 1. SOS America would be managed by the Department of Defense, whereas programs like AmeriCorps are mostly managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service. 2. SOS America seeks uniformed, military service to support our diminished military, develop our young people, and insure a bright future for our country. Other programs are strictly civilian and do not include a military mission. 3. We believe that, in the future, one year of military service should be completed by all eligible young men in the United States. Other programs believe that one year of service in a civilian capacity should be a rite of passage and cultural expectation.

What Are The Benefits To The Individual and the Nation

Given implementation of the SOS America program, both the individual and nation win. On the individual level, there are many benefits including: 1. A monthly stipend similar to that of an E-1 in the military. 2. Housing provided. 3. Food provided and/or basic provisions. 4. A pathway to faster citizenship. 4. A pathway to active duty service. 5. A sense of purpose and pride. 6. The opportunity to learn a trade. 7. An educational stipend upon completion of the program.

For the nation, many benefits await, including: 1. A positive return on investment of almost 4x. 2. Increased security through greater public presence. 3. More domestic focus on the greater good. 4. More committed citizens. 5. Closure of the civilian-military literacy gap. 6. A future insured by young generations.